You see? That’s the advantage when you’re not working for a big corporation. Not only you get to design the game you like, however you like, but you also to listen to fans. Cliff Harris, game creator, now pushes forward with a much anticipated campaign for GSB!

After three expansion packs and a Collector’s Edition, it’s time for GSB to get less gratuitous and more meaningful. In Galactic Conquest you will get to conquer 52 worlds with the help of your fleets. But winning each battle will not be the only thing you have to worry, but rather how you win it and with what forces.

You see, fleets are now persistent, and whatever ships you manage to keep in one piece after a battle remain with you along the way. You will also be able to capture various alien ships and use them in your fleet.

Oh, but look at me, again going into detail when many of you don’t know what this game is all about. Gratuitous Space Battles is a different breed of strategy game. What matters most is planning, as you can design ships and use various tactics to face enemy foes controlled by the AI. Once your ships are deployed in a tactical manner, you have no direct interaction with the battlefield or your fleet whatsoever, and the battle takes place on its own. Ships execute pre-established orders and follow a set o priorities when engaging.

The battle is concluded when one of the sides has nothing left… or retreats (yes, it’s a new feature of the campaign). And depending on your success, experience points are granted. You can use gained points to buy improved tech for your ships, and attempt more difficult missions.

So back to the newly added twist with campaign mode, everything gets more exciting! You will have to manage credits, ships, crew plus loyalty and threat levels that determine your influence rating towards a planet.

Overall this gets today’s “cool” rating on my blog. And I’m still hoping this will evolve to be the next Master of Orion!

GC should be on sale soon through Impulse, GamersGate, Direct2Drive and Steam, as well as directly from the developer’s site: www.gratuitousspacebattles.com